The Matching Game
by GirlWithUnreadableEyes
Summary: The marauders set up a matching game for valentines. Will one girl get her hearts desire?
1. Chapter 1

I was walking excitedly towards the room of requirements. I couldn't believe it, I was heading for a marauders' party. And what more, a marauder's valentines party. The marauders parties were famously known about Hogwarts to be the best parties, but also to being exclusively for Gryffindors plus Sirius's fan club. And I was never part of his fan club. Actually, the Marauders never really impressed me that much at all, being all childish and pulling pranks.

All, but one.

I would often find Remus Lupin in the library when he wasn't with his friends and fellow marauders. He would study, do his homework or just read. I've been head over heels for him since third year. I really don't know why, I don't even know him that well. Actually, I don't know him at all. I just know what everyone knows; He's a marauder, the quietest of them all, is super clever and has a sick mother. But I'm still head over heels for him. Being a Ravenclaw I'm supposed to be reasonable, but when it comes to Remus Lupin, I'm just not.

Do you know that feeling, when you really want to get to know someone, when someone interests or intrigues you for no apparent reason? Probably not, but that's just what I feel. I daydream about him, hoping he'll come round the corner, bump into me and we'll start talking, I make up all sorts of situations in my head, some less awkward and some more, that will bring us together. But, of course, my life is not some kind of fantasy fairy tale and all this doesn't happen.

So, as I walk into my very first marauder party, my stomach flutters and tightens up as I think of a sandy hair, amber eyed marauder I'll surely see inside. Maybe I'll even pluck up anough courage to start talking to him.

I reach the Room of Requirements and see Peter Pettigrew standing outside and collecting wands.

"You're wand" he demands, quite curtly.

I hand it to him, forcing myself to think of Remus all the while. Not that it was that hard.

"You are to say as you pass by the wall" Pettigrew told me, with an air of superiority," I want to get into the most awesome and fantastical party of like ever."

"Fantastical? That's put out of context…" catching what I was saying and who I was saying it too and just went to the wall and walked past it three times, thinking what I was told to think. A big, blue door opened in the wall and I pushed it gingerly and entered.

I entered into a big room. Each wall was a different colour, by the house colours, there even being a Slytherin wall. Under each wall were a few cushions for seating on. The Gryffindor cushions were already filled, the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuffs only half full and the Slytherin's was empty. It didn't look much like a party.

"So, what's your name, lovely lady?" Sirius asked me as I entered, winking at me, making half the female population in the room either swoon or glare daggers at me.

"I'm Jennifer Tamana." I told him and sat at the Ravenclaw wall.

Remus checked his watch and looked around.

"I think we should start." he said. Just his voice made me shudder.

James nodded at him and stood up, exiting the room and coming back moments later with Peter.

"Let's go then." he said and positioned himself in the middle of the room. "Hey guys. So, yeah, we're the marauders and we know this isn't our usual kind of party but we find it very important that in these dark times we all unite together."

Sirius had also stood up. " So, we are making a little match making event in order of valentines day. The game goes like this…" he pulled a big, heart shaped vase from behind his back. " Everyone of you put's your piece of paper and then you see who's your true love and…"

Remus was on his legs as well.

"Awa, Sirius, you're making a mess of it all." he took the vase off Sirius. "What you do is this; each of you get's a piece of paper with place for name, gender and preferred gender of match on the top and a grid on the rest of it. The grid has two columns, one labeled likes and one labeled hates. You need to, obviously, write things you like in the like column and things you dislike in the hate column. Then, we all put our pieces of paper into the vase and out come the matches most suited for each other. The matches are based on your likes, the hates only being there so you won't have a partner who likes the same things as you but also likes all the things you hate. So, any questions?"

"How much likes or hates can we write?" A hufflepuff girl asked.

"As much as you like" James replied.

"But there are risks both sides." Remus said.

"What…what kind of risks?" the girl asked nervously, obviously worried this was some marauders prank.

"Just that if you write too little your match might have things in common with all yours but more of other's and if you write too much, it's the other way round, you might find yourself with someone who had some of your not to strong likes."

"Um, what about the saying that opposites attract?" asked a Ravenclaw boy.

"Look, man" Sirius said, obviously annoyed. "We're just trying something here, we dunno if it works properly, it's only a try."

"And, maximum damage is a little bit of embarrassment and new friends that share your interests." James added.

With a flick of Remus's wand the pieces of paper were in front of us and so were some sugar quills and ink.

I started filling in.

_Name: Jennifer Tamana_

_Gender: Female_

_Pref Gen of Partner: Male_

_Likes: _

_Books_

_Chocolate_

_Writing_

_Family_

_Moonstones_

_Charms (lesson)_

_Astronomy (Lesson)_

_Ancient Runes (Lesson)_

_Wax_

_Playing music_

_Hates:_

_Nothing_

_Nada_

_nichts_

_nihil_

I placed my paper in the vase and waited.

When all had finished Sirius stood with the vase in his hands.

"Oh, and another thing we forgot to tell you; the matches will come out from best matched to least…" he smirked gleefully and tapped the vase. The first match came out, the best matched match, and Sirius read it. He looked back at where Remus was standing and burst out laughing.

James stepped forwards. " We'll take a short break and be back soon." he said, dragging Sirius to a door into a back room and leaving us to our hissing guesses.


	2. Chapter 2

James P.O.V

I dragged a laughing Sirius into the back door that the room of requirements had setup for us.

"What the hell is your problem, mate?" I asked. He just kept on laughing.

Then Moony raised his ward and muttered some incantation which made Sinus stop abruptly.

"What was that for?" he asked.

"Its for your health, Padfoot." Remus said dryly.

"Wait and see something for your heath! "Sirius exclaimed and pulled the small piece of paper out of his robe pocket. He held it up and read.

"Ninety two percent match… Remus Lupin and…" but then he just burst out laughing again.

"What?" Remus exclaimed, "give me that!" and he tried to reach for the piece of paper Pads was clutching in his hand.

Padfoot just put his hand up so it would be out of Moony's reach and kept laughing.

The thing is, it really was funny.

Remus had told us just a few hours ago that he didn't want to participate, that he wouldn't find anyone anyway. And he had gotten the biggest match.

Sirius couldn't hold it out of Moony's reach for long as Moony was just as tall as him and I helped him, eager to see who it is.

Remus took it and read silently. His face turned very, very red.

"Eoow, Moony's got a crush." I yelled, not able to contain myself. Moony body bind me, but his smile said everything.

"How long?" Sirius asked, counter cursing my bind and helping me up.

"A few month now." he confessed. "She hangs about the library a lot…"

"Who is it?" asked Peter, which had been uncharacteristically quiet until that moment.

"That Ravenclaw." Padfoot said, " Jennifer Tamana."

"Lets go tell everyone then!" I said and was already on my way out of the room when Padfoot pulled me back.

"No, let's see in what they match…" he said. The charm we put on the vase made us, and only us, able to do that.

We walked towards the vase, which was still in Wormy's clutch.

We pulled out Remus's and Jennifer's papers, ignoring Moony's half hearted protests, I took Remus's, Sirius took Jennifers.

"Name: Remus John Lupin" I read.

"Name: Jennifer Tamana" Sirius read, imitating my commentary voice.

"Gender: Male"

"Gender: Female."

"Preferred gender of partner: Female."

"Preferred gender of partner: Male."

"Likes"

"Likes"

"Books"

"Books"

"The marauders" I read, " aww, Moony."

"Shut up."

"Chocolate."

Moony looked surprised.

"Chocolate." I smirked as I read.

"Writing."

"Family."

"Family." Sirius read and almost laughed again.

"Writing."

"Ouch, Moonstones."

Moony flinched.

"Ancient Runes… you wrote a Lesson?"

He shrugged.

"Charms brackets lesson bracket."

"Charms… another lesson Moony?"

He didn't seem to be hearing me – he was over the, well, ironically, moon.

"Astronomy brackets lesson brackets."

" Playing music"

"Ancient Runes bracket Lesson bracket"

"Hates…" I started but Sirius stopped me.

"She hasn't finished with her likes yet… she's got wax… you've got a weird girlfriend Moony, and playing music."

"Hates" I started again.

"Hates"

"Full moon."

"Nothing."

"Nothing much more."

"Nada, Nichts, Nihil? What's the problem with her?"

Moony looked dreamy. " Spanish, German and Latin."

I shook my head at him and laughed.

Who would believe it, our Moony, in love!


	3. Chapter 3

Finally, the Marauders came out of their room.

James stood now with the piece of paper, Sirius behind him trying not to laugh.

"Ninety two percent" he announced," Remus Lupin and…."

He suspended the last, trying to build up the tension but my heart plummeted. There is no way whatsoever that I match him this much.

" Jennifer Taaaamana!" He screamed at last. All heads turned to me but I just sat there, dumbfounded. Me with Remus Lupin?

I sat there, gaping, as he approached me and offered me his hand. I took it gingerly and he led me towards a room that had appeared out of nowhere in the back of the room. We entered the room. It was a big room, with tons of book shelves, two white sofas and a double…bed? Man, these Marauders have a dirty mind.

But I wasn't thinking of any of that. We stood there, hand in hand, and stared into each other's eyes.

"I... I didn't think you noticed me." I blurted out at last.

He smiled at me. "How could I not?" and then – "come, let's sit."

I nodded and he guided me over to one of the two sofas. We sat down.

"I think." Remus started "that staring at each other, as much as I enjoy it, won't get us too far."

I nodded but still didn't take my eyes off his own. He laughed. "I'm Remus Lupin. I'm a seventh year Gryffindor and part of the Marauders."

"I'm Jennifer Tamana, I'm a seventh year Ravenclaw."

"It's lovely to meet you, Jennifer." He said, smiling so wide that for a moment I thought he was mocking me. "What do you like doing?"

"Well, reading, lots and writing."

"What do you write?" he asked, sincerely intrigued.

"Stories and stuff." Stories about you, I though. "What do you like?" I asked.

"Reading as well, and writing as well and playing music."

My eyes lightened up.

"What do you play?"

"Piano and guitar."

"I play guitar as well."

"You don't seem the type."

"I'm not," it's amazing how much he had misunderstood me and my personality. "I also play the harp.

His eyes widened in surprised. He made funny motions with his hand, as if to show something big.

Yeah, that" I laughed.

"I've never seen a harp…"

Just then there was a light thump behind us. I turned around quickly. There, stood a big, ebony coloured harp and a big, ivory coloured piano.

"Care to demonstrate your skills?" Remus asked me.

"Um, okay…" I sat down behind it, pulled the harp towards me and pulled down all of the pedals. I paused for a moment and then started to play. The harp was perfectly tuned.

I played unconsciously – a tune I could play with my eyes closed – my mind only on him so I was surprised when, about on the seventh tab, the piano, played by my very own wonderful Remus, joined me.

As we finished I just sat there, quite overwhelmed. Then I felt him behind me and turned my head around to face him. He kneeled besides me and cupped my cheek in his hand. He put his face inches from mine and our lips met.

It was warm and sweet and short. Too short. He quickly backed away, standing in front of some book shelves, his back towards me. No romantic lingering, no prolonged kiss.

_Did I do anything wrong? _Was the first thing that came into my mind.

"Remus?" I hesitated.

"I'm sorry." He said, but his back was still turned towards me. "I really am, but this is hard for me."

I was confused. What was wrong?

"Remus?" again.

"It's not your fault, I'm just being stupid to think…" his voice trailed away. I just sat there, not sure what to do. At last, he turned around and looked at me.

"Jennifer, I'm sorry, I can't do this." And he held my eyes as his voice broke and then turned away and walked quite calmly, but with large, decisive steps, out of the room.

I was on my feet within seconds, and raced out after him.

"Remus? Remus!" I was quick enough to see him exit the room.

People were staring but I couldn't care less. What's wrong?

I stood there for a second before resuming my race after him. But he was nowhere to be seen.

"Damn". I could feel the tears burning in my eyes. I stormed away to my dorm.

Stupid boys.

* * *

_Was it too dramatic? Please review…_


End file.
